A LEITRIM man awaiting sentence for sexually assaulting his two daughters and a son had his case adjourned by the Central Criminal Court for a week.
Mr Justice Flood said he did not propose to deal with the case yesterday as he had just received a raft of documents" relating to the 36 year old man. He said he would not react to a quick reading of the reports.
He adjourned the case on continuing bail for mention on April 15th after defence counsel Mr Barry White SC drew attention to the last sentence of one report, which counsel said posed him certain difficulties.
Mr Justice Flood said he would give the man's barristers time to clarify the position and take whatever action was necessary.
He also indicated he would not impose sentence at the next hearing but would deliver a written judgment about 10 days after hearing all the evidence.
Mr White applied for an adjournment to allow his solicitor to get written instructions from his client on the sentence in the report that put him in difficulties. The report was not read out.
In February the defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting one of his daughters on an unknown date between January and November 1992.
He also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting her brother on an unknown date in 1993 and to sexually assaulting his second daughter in September of that year. All the victims were under 15 at the time of the offences.
Initially, the man had pleaded knot guilty to eight counts which included charges of raping and having unlawful carnal knowledge of one of the girls. A jury was sworn to try the case but before the trial started the defendant was rearraigned and admitted the three offences.
At that hearing, Mr White had said there appeared to be psychiatric difficulties with both the defendant and his wife and they were not living together.
The defendant was staying with his elderly parents and his wife was in care. Their three young children were also in care, Mr White said.